


A Lifetime of Certain Uncertainties (Fox Rain)

by GimletRue



Category: IZONE (Band)
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-14
Updated: 2020-10-06
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:49:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,119
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26460688
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GimletRue/pseuds/GimletRue
Summary: Kim Minjoo and her not-so-secret fondness for Kim Chaewon throughout the years.Or, Kim Minjoo and Kim Chaewon on rainy days.
Relationships: Kim Chaewon (IZONE)/Kim Minju
Comments: 7
Kudos: 51





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> TLDR: 2kim as Lifetime Partners, make it angst, but not really.
> 
> Hello, everyone! Today, I'm letting this one out of the dungeon. This one is a bit different than my usual fics, it's my first attempt at angst with a happy ending. lol 
> 
> Have fun reading! ^ - ^

* * *

_Smell of rain through the window pane_   
_And the sight of you  
Oh, you were a good dream_

* * *

**“In a different world, do you think we’d be together?”** Minjoo wonders, as a wistful smile lingers on her lips. She has always been one to ponder about such thoughts, thinking and imagining of what could have been. Some would say it’s a bad habit, brooding over things that no one has a way of ever knowing; but at the back of her mind, Minjoo knows. She knows that this has nothing to do with that supposedly bad habit of hers, it’s just her being optimistic. Hopeful, even.  
  
Maybe in another world out there, they are together in ways she could only dream of.

Maybe they would start being more than friends, something a little bit more special than what they already have – giving them assurance that they would be with each other every step of the way.

Maybe they would even move in together, starts adopting dogs that are as lively as their friendship throughout the years; then eventually starting their own family. Marriage sounds nice, kids too. Minjoo certainly wouldn’t mind seeing adorable little Chaewons running around the house.

Maybe they would grow old together – grey and wrinkly. Chaewon would be teasing her as usual; but this time, they would be sitting on an outdoor bench, laughing at something silly Minjoo has blurted out. In a spacious garden, basking under the warm rays of a beautiful day, clear of clouds, happily watching their grandchildren chase each other in some sort of game.

And even on their last day together, they would have no regrets – for they have lived to the fullest. All because they had taken the leap of faith, turning their already beautiful friendship to something even more beautiful.

So, here’s Minjoo; she had willingly jumped off the cliff of uncertainty, risking everything she has ever believed on for the sake of the countless _maybes_.

Maybe Kim Chaewon would like her too; but she knew that’s too good to be true. So, even if Chaewon doesn’t feel the same, Minjoo would be grateful to know that the other girl has at least thought of the slight chance of what they could have been.

  
  
 **“Would you want to know though?”** Chaewon answers, her voice ringing through the silence, taking Minjoo out of her trance.

**“Would you?”** Minjoo hesitantly asks, not sure if she would want to hear the other girl’s response. Chaewon pauses for a moment to think, her eyes giving the window beside her a fleeting glance, as the sound of the rain fills the atmosphere – seemingly filtering all the surrounding noise, and all could Minjoo hear is the sound of her thumping heart, nervously waiting for an answer.

**“No, not really.”** With a gentle smile, Chaewon utters words that would immediately turn down all the what ifs scenarios Minjoo has delightfully indulged.

_No more spacious garden and kids running around._

As both of them keep quiet, waiting for someone to break the ice – Chaewon looks as calm as she has always been, while Minjoo is lost within her inner turmoil, begging all the gods she could think of to magically send anyone or anything that could shatter the awkwardness brought upon by her ow-so-hopeful queries.

_Curse those freaking maybes._

The pelting rain has started to mellow out, bringing back memories of a particular afternoon. If anyone would ask when did Minjoo start liking Chaewon more than the usual ‘friendly’ type, she wouldn’t be able to pinpoint exactly when. Instead, she would be reminded of that moment the other girl has entered her life; no warnings beforehand and certainly no foreboding of the unrequited feeling that would haunt her for years to come.  
  


_She has always been ahead of her. Always off to the next big thing, until she stopped running._

  
  


* * *

* * *

* * *

_Another mundane Sunday afternoon for Kim Minjoo, one she would have spent peacefully sleeping or listlessly watching her favorite dramas under normal circumstances. Barely three months in, she has turned into a busy high schooler who’s always in a hurry, too worried to not have enough time to accomplish her academic responsibilities. Some might say she’s overreacting and she should chill out a bit, but Minjoo is Minjoo – always determined to do her best. Teenagers would normally be excited over the start of a new phase in their lives, but for Minjoo, gone are the days of being thrilled over the concept of a new school and a new beginning. On Sundays like this, she would be on the comfort of her own room, enjoying the free time as much as she can until she begins preparing for the start of another week spent with her books; but here she is – at the front of a convenience store, waiting for the rain to stop._

**_“Do you like the rain?”_ ** _Unsure of what the girl standing few feet beside her said, Minjoo simply blinks in confusion. The other girl – few centimeters shorter, and probably about the same age as her – thinking that Minjoo had not heard the question, moves few steps towards her before repeating, **“Do you like the rain?”**_

**_“Eh, not really. It makes our hair messy.”_ ** _The other girl giggles, noticing Minjoo’s slight frown which turns into a puzzled look, as she wonders whether she have said something funny._

**_“Do you know what they call it when it’s raining on a sunny day?”_ ** _Minjoo takes a moment to think, but eventually shakes her head; not having any idea where the random conversation is heading._

**_“It’s apparently called Fox Rain. Legend says a cloud fell in love with a fox who went off to marry a tiger on a bright day, one befitting a happy ceremony. Being unable to do anything, the cloud cries.”_ ** _With her soft voice barely audible due to the rain, the stranger unfolds an ancient narrative about the phenomenon supposedly called ‘Fox Rain’.  
  
Raising her hand to feel the droplets of rain fall on her palm, Minjoo briefly closes her eyes as she utters, **“That’s a sad story. I hope Cloud-ssi is doing well somewhere.”** _

**_“I don’t think Cloud-ssi was sad though. Heck, I bet Cloud-ssi was happy.”_ ** _Minjoo instantly opens her eyes and stares at the other girl, her eyes slightly squinted, as if questioning the girl’s sanity – disapproval written all over her face. The stranger chuckles, then continues, **“Cloud-ssi cries because it’s happy. Very happy to witness its beloved fox get married to the good ol’ tiger.”**_

**_“How’d you know the tiger is good though? You know tigers are big and scary, they eat humans too! Who knows, maybe they eat foxes too!”_ ** _Minjoo pouts, her voice a bit louder, probably the loudest she has ever been for the last couple of minutes – all because of a love triangle about a cloud, a fox and a tiger. She’s definitely getting more invested to the story more than what she has originally intended, but in her defense, ‘she’s just worried about the fox’. Okay, her friends have compared her to a fox before, but that definitely has nothing to do with this. Yeah, she definitely doesn’t feel weirdly attached or something to the fictional fox. That would be weird, so definitely NOT._

**_“Ya, typhoons destroy millions of homes and livelihood annually, so technically, Cloud-ssi may not be that good either.”_ ** _The stranger reasons out, trying her best to be logical. (Although logic has been long thrown out of the window the moment they’ve started being serious about a topic normal people might find silly, but not that they’d care about stupid norms. Normal is overrated anyway.)  
  
  
Minjoo is about to protest again, when both girls hear a phone chime. Her hands roam her pockets for a few seconds, until she remembers that she didn’t bring her phone for she has left it charging in her room. Thus, leaving the obvious conclusion that it indeed belongs to the other girl. The stranger checks her phone, and visibly flinches upon reading her notification. _

**_“And, that’s my cue to go home. Take care on your way back, Ms. Fox. I hope you don’t run into tigers.”_ ** _With a mischievous grin, the girl bids Minjoo goodbye and ran off to who knows where, blatantly ignoring the rain. By this time, it’s more accurate to rather call it a ‘drizzle’; but is perhaps still strong enough to make someone sick._

_As the girl fades out of her sight, Minjoo realized that she didn’t even get the stranger’s name. With her loudest possible voice, she shouts, **“Wait! What are you, a tiger or a cloud?”**_

**_“Neither! I’m a cheetah!”_ ** _The stranger shouts back, cheerfully waving her hand before completely disappearing._

* * *

_Almost a week has passed, Minjoo is still clueless about the stranger’s identity. Not that she’s low-key looking for the girl. Alright, maybe she has tried asking every fellow freshman she knows, believing in the very slim possibility that the girl goes to the same school as hers. Assuming the girl has ran all the way home without an umbrella, she probably lives not too far from the convenience store; hence, quite close to Minjoo’s school. Truth be told, she’s starting to think that maybe her friend Yuri is right; she must have been so tired to the point that her memory became fuzzy and hallucinated about this mysterious girl who talks about tigers and foxes. ‘Oh, she calls herself a cheetah too.’ Minjoo notes, mentally giving herself a pat for coming up with an information she deems useful in finding the girl._

**_“Minjoo, maybe if you could be just a tiny bit more specific in describing your crush?”_ ** _Yuri complains, calling out Minjoo on her lack of proper description. Repeating for the nth time that, ‘pretty girl with a soft voice and likes the rain’ would just not cut it. Minjoo even had the audacity to interrupt her friend’s frustrated rambling, and says, **“But she likes rain! That should count, right?”**_

**_“Yeah, genius. Just how many girls do you think like the rain? Are we supposed to hand out survey forms asking if they like the rain? Maybe include a short quiz about the legend of the Fox Rain too?”_ ** _Running out of patience, Yuri sarcastically suggests. She had enough of her friend’s shenanigans, they have been trying to find the girl for days._

**_“Do you think that would work?”_ ** _Minjoo reaffirms, with a determined look, her eyes probably even sparkling a bit, completely ignoring her friend’s distinct sarcasm._

_Yuri knows her friend is surely smart, but with the oh-so-dreamy vague descriptions she gives about the aforementioned stranger, Yuri isn’t that sure anymore about her friend’s level of intellect. Or, maybe that’s just how it is when people start ‘catching feelings.’_

**_“Teenagers these days.”_ ** _Yuri tiredly sighs, as if she isn’t a teenager herself. To make things worse, Minjoo seems to be faithful with her belief that she’s merely curious about the stranger._

**_“I know what you’re thinking, but no. I’m telling you; I barely know the girl,”_ ** _Minjoo insists, too faithful for her own good – standing up for her noble belief that she’s just curious. Curiosity kills the cat, they’d say; but satisfaction brings it back. Although in this case, it’s a cheetah._

_‘Please just bring back the overgrown cat already.’_

**_“Right, you barely know her. Not even her name, yet you speak of her as if she walked out of a fairy tale or something.”_ ** _Yuri shrugs, once again judging her friend’s unrealistic claims._

**_“I don’t speak like that. I admit she may have looked like a princess, but that’s beside the point.”_ ** _Minjoo corrects her, speaking in a-matter-of-factly tone. That’s when Yuri knew her friend is beyond saving; or, in other words, it’s better to just let her be._

**_“Sure, Kim Minjoo. Sure.”_ ** _Yuri snorts, bearing an incredulous expression. The girl is laughing way too much, almost tripping over nothing._

* * *

_The rain is pouring again, as much as Minjoo hates the rain due to the fact that it messes her hair, she’s secretly thankful for it has brought her into this coffee shop near their school. Two weeks after their encounter at the front of a random convenience store under a fox rain, Minjoo finally sees the girl again – who has probably also taken refuge from the rain – sitting alone, a cold drink in hand as she silently reads a book. This time, she swears she would at least get her name._

_Today’s horoscope says she would have an excellent luck the whole day, so she prays to all the stars out there; maybe they would grace her enough confidence to approach the girl. Fortunately, the stars did grant her some courage for once; but that doesn’t mean it didn’t take her a couple of minutes to compose herself, before she has finally taken a step towards the stranger who might have been running in her mind for the last few(fifteen, to be exact) days._

**_“Three hundred and fifty-one seconds.”_ ** _Not taking her eyes off the book, the other girl speaks before Minjoo could even greet her._

**_“Uhm, hello too? Remember me? Ya know, the Fox Rain?”_ ** _Playing with the hem of her blouse, Minjoo timidly waits for the other girl’s response, still unable to comprehend what she meant by the number she recited out of nowhere._

**_“Three hundred and fifty-one seconds, Ms. Fox. It has been that long since I’ve seen you enter that door. I may or may not have been waiting for you to actually approach me.”_ ** _The girl puts down her book, playfully raising her eyebrows, with a hint of smile, purposely making fun of Minjoo’s awkwardness. Of course, she remembers her; she doesn’t often run into pretty girls who fondly addresses a cloud as ‘Cloud-ssi’ – Minjoo is the first one so far. Mayhaps, both of them are hoping for this chance encounter to happen again._

_Minjoo chuckles at that, nervousness slipping off her body, as a familiar warmth engulfs her. **“It’s nice to see you again, Ms. Cloud-ssi. May I sit here?”**_

**_“I’m a cheetah, not a cloud. Sure, you may; but pay up first. A cup of coffee would be nice.”_ ** _She closes her eyes, puts her hand on her chin, pretending to be deep in thoughts. Minjoo decides to humour her, **“It would be an honor, but you already have one,”** she motions to the barely touched cup of coffee on the girl’s hand. **“Too much caffeine wouldn’t be good for your health,”** she adds, nodding at her own words. _

**_“You’re right. They say time is precious, pay me with time then. Fifteen minutes would suffice, thirty would be ideal.”_ ** _The not-so-unfamiliar stranger answers back, fiddles with her phone, then waves it to Minjoo – showing a timer app, with thirty minutes set on its clock._

_Minjoo takes the sit across the girl and lays her palm up the table, gesturing for the other girl to hand her phone. **“Gladly. I’ll even raise your rates.”** Minjoo accepts the phone, setting the timer to an hour. **“I demand for a change though.”**_

**_“I’ve thought it would be ‘keep the change?’ How stingy!”_ ** _The girl exclaims, slightly shaking her head, a look of disapproval on her face; yet she ends up yielding to Minjoo’s demand. **“Fine, what do you want?”**_

**_“Your name. I’m Kim Minjoo, you are?”_ ** _Minjoo offers a handshake, in which the other girl cheerfully obliged._

**_“Deal. I’m Kim Chaewon.”_ **

_Minjoo triumphantly smiles, she would definitely boast to Yuri later. She has finally learned the name of the princess she has been looking for. She’s no longer ‘that-pretty-stranger’ who likes rain. Minjoo returns Chaewon’s phone, but due to unidentified reasons, the universe (she wants to blame the stars, really) seems to be mocking her again; the device slips off her hand, a clink resonating as it hits the fancy looking laminated wood floring of the café._

_Luckily, the mobile phone works just fine despite the loud sound it created. Also, the mini accident has given Chaewon a valid reason to accidentally close the timer app, forgetting the time limit they have agreed upon. Accidentally, of course. Minjoo has noticed it, but not that she’s complaining. (If anyone asks though, there’s no way she’s admitting that.) Life is full of certain uncertainties, accidents do happen. Lesson for today: Beware of accidents, yes._

_Each second passing by, they spend it talking about everything and nothing – may it be mind-boggling fox conspiracies or their uneventful school lives. Apparently, Chaewon indeed goes to the same institution, the school uniform she’s wearing at the very moment stands as a proof; unless she wears it for fun or as some sort of fashion statement. Chaewon does talk about foxes and tigers, but the latter statement pertaining about their uniforms would be a bit too much even for her._

_It turns out, the other Kim is a year older than Minjoo, thus explaining why she couldn’t find anyone who knows her. Minjoo and Yuri have been searching for a pretty freshman girl who likes rain, when they should have been searching for a sophomore one instead. Obviously, that doesn’t make much of a difference, but for Minjoo, it does. Or, in Yuri’s words – ‘just another case of Minjoo being Minjoo: her very smart friend, but sometimes not really.’ (For example, her situation right now – Kim Chaewon being her ‘sometimes’.)_

_Light conversation between the two girls fills their cozy little table, comparable to the celebrated first rainfall of the year, the start of spring in a cold winter, or in their case, the end of summer – establishing a beautiful connection that would get them through different seasons._

_And Minjoo with her newfound fascination for the rain._

_Rainy days with Chaewon are not that bad._

_She just hopes the same thing goes for the other girl, and by the looks of it, Chaewon seems to be enjoying her company as well – a soft smile gracing her lips, with occasional burst of laughter, mostly in response to Minjoo’s comical reactions._

_Several hours has gone by, not minding their ‘deal’ in which Minjoo has agreed to stay for an hour. Unbeknownst to her that in the next seven years, she wouldn’t mind staying for a lifetime, if only Chaewon would allow her. Not now, not yet – too immature to handle and too young to even name the budding feelings they would soon have. Their futures remain uncertain, not having a clue of what’s about to come; for all they know at this moment is that they have found a friend within each other._

_That significant period in which a person finds someone whom they could instantly connect with – as cheesy as it sounds, someone whom they feel like they have known for a very long time. It’s when they’d say hello, and in that exact second, they’d know it would be the first of countless hellos to come; wishing that the next goodbye they’d share would be a simple bid until they meet again(possibly in the next few days), not the last farewell they would ever get to say._

_There’s a term for that. Soulmate? That’s meant for people who are ideally suited for each other though, (keyword: ideally) and it’s just too cliché for their liking; so, they choose to settle with the fancier, yet more precise version of it – **‘lifetime partners.’** _

_The influx of people who stopped by, waiting for the rainfall to clear out, has gradually left the vicinity; making the two girls acknowledge the passing time – although it wasn’t that late yet, the rain has perfectly done its job, the heat fading into a comforting warmth, as a faint hint of summer breeze lingers in the air._

_As they step out of the café, Chaewon holding the door for the younger girl, clears her throat and starts, **“Do you like freebies?”** Minjoo does a double take, unsure of what she heard. _

**_“I mean, remember the payment? You’ve stayed way more than an hour. You deserve a freebie! Who doesn’t like freebies, right?”_ ** _Chaewon continues, mustering the remaining confidence she has been abusing for the past two and a half hours. She hands Minjoo the book she was reading earlier, and before the girl could say anything, Chaewon’s phone rings._

**_“That’s my cue, I gotta go. I know you’ve said you live really near here, but take care on your way back.”_ ** _Chaewon waves, giving her a small smile and answers her phone as her figure slowly retreats. Minjoo remains at a standstill, shock evident on her face as she reads what was scribbled on the upper right corner of the first page of the book – Chaewon’s mobile number, neatly written with black ink. Smiling, she saves it under the name, ‘lil cub’; and sends a short message, in which she receives a reply right after arriving home._

**_Unknown Sender, 5:42pm:_ ** _Thank you for today, lil cub. -Kim Minjoo  
  
  
 **lil cub, 5:43pm:** Idk any Kim Minjoo, Ms. Fox. Frog seems accurate too. Take your pick. _

_Her mom teases Minjoo for being apparently ‘too smiley’, prying if something good happened, in which she simply shrugs, **“Nothing, I just found a new friend today.”**_

* * *

* * *

_Everything remains the same for the both of them, they are still typical hardworking students who do their best to keep up with their academic-related requirements. Except, they would sometimes hang out at school, introducing each other to their own set of friends, not minding the one-year gap between them. Their friends would tease them, saying that they should just go ahead and date already. They have also started going home together, spending some time studying or talking about anything after a tiresome day. They would constantly message each other, just like any normal friends would._

_The things they do are undoubtedly just ordinary stuffs friends engage in; so Minjoo couldn’t comprehend where or when exactly did she start getting confused between what’s platonic and not._

_Just one day, she woke up – the line between being a friend and something more slowly deteriorating, being too blurry for Minjoo to distinguish which is which; and maybe somewhere along the line, she decides to just accept it all._

_First, she finds herself unconsciously waiting for Chaewon to pass the halls. Some might say there’s nothing wrong with that, sounds like something a platonic friend would do; but the problem materializes when someone accompanies Chaewon. Especially if said someone is a guy who’s shamelessly trying her shots on the other girl first thing in the morning, as if he comes to school to chase girls, not to study._

_Minjoo tries to reason out with herself, saying that she just hates students who waste their time; but after some time, she just really wants to punch the guy whose name she wouldn’t even bother to remember. Don’t get her wrong, she’s never known as a violent person; maybe that’s mainly why the situation drives her insane. As Chaewon’s best friend, Minjoo is supposed to be supportive of seemingly decent suitors; but she finds all of them annoying. She can’t even reason out that she probably just hates men, because she hates Chaewon’s female suitors just as much – maybe, even more. So much for being platonic._

_Second, she unknowingly begins to notice every single thing about Chaewon. The girl would be humming random tunes or making a fool out of herself, trying to make Minjoo laugh, yet the younger girl just finds it endearing. She has always liked Chaewon’s soft voice, but she wonders when did her voice become so addictive that she wouldn’t mind listening to it all day long. (Not that she hasn’t been doing that though.) Surprisingly, Chaewon doesn’t complain and would just laugh every time Minjoo calls her at ungodly hours of the night saying, **“I just want to hear your voice.”**_

_Suddenly, Minjoo became highly aware of the fleeting touches; the friendly hugs giving her a feeling she can’t pinpoint, it’s not exactly an unpleasant feeling – something too warm, her cheeks turning into a deep shade of red._

_Lastly, Minjoo finds Chaewon amidst a sea of people._

_People always say this overused sappy line when you fall for someone. **‘You start to look for them on crowds, and always find them first** ,’ they’d say. This one, Minjoo doesn’t believe that much since the older girl easily finds her too. They could be on a school festival or meeting on a populated place for their ‘friendly dates’, then she’d see Chaewon already walking towards her. _

_Through their years of friendship, there’s an odd thing she has always noticed though. When it’s raining, something important always happen. (Or, maybe she just thinks every moment spent with Chaewon is important.)_

_Chaewon has always been someone hardworking and dedicated, yet always calm and laidback. She doesn’t show much emotions, even when she graduated high school, Minjoo was the one crying her heart out – repeating over and over again that it would only take a year, and she’d enter the same university Chaewon is heading too. The older girl just ruffled her hair and gave her a ‘friendly’ kiss on the cheek._

_Someone who has always reminded her to be kind to herself, someone who has always believed in her – especially on days that even Minjoo herself couldn’t. She’s the same girl who has never minded answering a call at 2am, accompanying Minjoo on the other side of the line; understanding that sometimes words aren’t enough to explain what one’s going through. Just knowing that someone cares enough to stay on the phone for more than an hour of complete silence, is more comforting than any hug or word of encouragement anyone could give._

_On days where Minjoo doubts ‘things’ would ever get better, Chaewon shows up, a reassuring smile on her lips and a pint of ice cream on her hand – shutting down the negative thoughts and once again proving that life isn’t that bad. **“A penny for your thoughts is overrated, negative thoughts require the presence of our beloved friend Ice cream-ssi!”**_

_Or, when said ‘things’ become a bit too much to handle, and Minjoo begins to lose sight of who she is, Chaewon comes barging in with a question as random as the day they’ve first met, **“What do you like about yourself today?”**_

_Minjoo, always unsure of what to answer, comes up with a half-hearted response just to satisfy Chaewon, for she knows the older girl would not let her off the hook. Little things such as how she likes her hair seems nice that day, how she didn’t miss the bus that morning or, how the weather seems perfect – not a hint of rainfall any time soon._

_Little things which don’t seem much at first glance, until Minjoo learns that Chaewon writes them down, memorizes them and enumerates them to her when the situation calls for it._

**_“I know at least twenty things you like about yourself. Don’t ever forget those, I’d remind you everyday if I have to. Always, I will.”_ ** _Chaewon would say, her voice clear, devoid of any uncertainty, and her eyes filled with optimism._

_So, Minjoo visibly panics when she sees the girl crying. Kim Chaewon, always calm and composed, shows up in front of Minjoo’s house, disheveled, her clothes soaked due to the heavy downpour, and her eyes red. Minjoo’s heart breaks at the thought that the girl must have been crying for hours – alone, wandering the cold streets, not knowing where to go._

_Minjoo’s first instinct is to engulf the girl in a hug, paying no heed to the pouring rain. Chaewon doesn’t speak a word, buries her head on the other girl’s neck, standing still, a deafening silence dominates. Minjoo feels the cold drops of water against her skin, it drenches her hair, and ironically reminds her how she used to hate rainy days for the exact same reason. Chaewon has become a part of her life, then suddenly the rain doesn’t seem that bad anymore._

_Minjoo has come to love the pleasant pit-patters and smell of rain, bringing back memories of the days wherein they’d jump on puddles of water, bickering and jokingly making bets on which one of them is more likely to catch a cold. Except, tonight’s rain appears different than any of the previous one they had._

_It comes in waves, splattering across the ground, unpaved paths awash with mud, and the sky almost pitch black – as if mirroring the girl crying on her shoulders, hands clenched, grasping Minjoo’s shirt. For the first time in years, Minjoo hated the rain again; willing to give anything just for it to stop._

_‘Please, make it stop.’_

_Minjoo let Chaewon in – as dreamy and romantic as it sounds, talking under the heavy rain is just too much of a crazy idea, an impractical one too, she wouldn’t want the older girl to be sick. Mrs. Kim sees them, worriedly asks if they are alright, Minjoo just nods and gives her mom a tight-lipped smile. Fortunately, the woman takes it as a sign to leave them on their own, retreating to another part of the house after handing them some towels to dry themselves with and two sets of clothes the girls could change in._

_She carefully wipes the trail of tears on Chaewon’s cheek, her thumb softly brushing, treating the girl as delicate as one’s treasured finest set of glassware – fragile, one you’d rather keep in the cabinet. Afraid of stupid kids who might unintentionally shatter them, because that’s just how kids are supposed to be. Except, Kim Chaewon is a human – breathing, one whom Minjoo can’t simply lock in a cage; so, she protectively embraces the tiny frame of the girl, away from all the bad things life has to offer._

**_“Hey, we probably both look like a mess right now. You should take a shower.”_ ** _Probably too tired to even bother saying anything against it, Chaewon complies. She figures that a warm bath would probably help her clear her mind, pushing off unwanted thoughts that have been plaguing her for so long._

* * *

_Upon exiting the bathroom, Chaewon sees Minjoo, wearing a new set of clothes, albeit her hair still slightly dampened, a small paper bag on hand. She invites Chaewon to take a sit, passing the paper bag, **“Mom told me to give you this. Mint Choco-nim?”** Minjoo jokes, handing Chaewon a spoon and a glass of water. The girl smiles at the sight of her fave ice cream flavor, mentally noting that she should also thank Mrs. Kim later. _

_Everyone acknowledges Kim Chaewon as the confident and strong-willed persona she has established, but behind all of these, she’s just another normal human being. Life being cruel at times, just like how it is to everyone – may it be by having nothing at all or by having everything happen all at once. The latter resonating more with Chaewon, putting her into a situation where words could only do as much, giving birth to a flawed mentality that some stories are better left untold; circumstances do not magically change for the better just because they’ve been shared. Although it isn’t entirely wrong, it’s a must to know that sharing your burdens to others as you also take some of theirs is okay._

_Talking could only do much, but sometimes it’s what rescues people from the monsters they have unknowingly conjured._

_For Chaewon, those nights do come. Alone, at the corner of her dark room, shriveled and trying her best to hold it in. She finds it pathetic, but that’s just how it is._

_And sometimes, it is insufferable – a poison that spreads all throughout the body until it eliminates the remaining spark, triumphantly pushing people off the cliff. Falling._

_As she continues to spiral down the nasty pit, everything becomes too much. Thus, the endless wandering begins._

_Life could be tricky at times though; it has its own way of crafting a special reason that could single-handedly defeat the legion of mishaps, pulling a person back when they’ve thought it’s already the end of the line._

_Chaewon knows this too well, for her reason comes in the form of Kim Minjoo – the sweetest girl she has ever met, eyes always full of love and affection, an unspoken love song ringing in her ears, whispering, ‘things will work out.’_

**_“Min, thank you. Really.”_ ** _Chaewon pipes up, sincerity written all over her face._

**_“Eh, what for?”_ ** _Minjoo exclaims, as if the older girl has just spouted something ridiculous, for as far as she could remember, all she ever did was dashing to the nearest convenience store and buying that ‘toothpaste-tasting-ice-cream’; because she doesn’t know how to comfort people, and ice cream works for her – so, she hopes it would be as effective for the other girl. (Of course, it wasn’t from her mom; the woman adores Chaewon, but she doesn’t even know what Mint Choco is – usual old people sticking to the classic flavors.)_

**_“Minjoo, thank you for making everything bearable.”_ **

* * *

* * *

* * *

**“No, not really.”** With a gentle smile, Chaewon utters words that would immediately turn down all the what ifs scenarios Minjoo has delightfully indulged.

_I was scared to lose you then_  
 _But secrets turn into regrets_  
Buried feelings grow  
Oh, you were a good dream

For Minjoo, Chaewon’s existence has always been comparable to a dream, feeling distant and impossible – too good to be true. ‘ _Good things don’t last’,_ they’d say. Truth be told, Minjoo has never seen her as a good thing, for she has always been the _best thing_ to ever happen to her.

On a rainy day, she entered Minjoo’s life; creating a ripple on her monotonous life. Suddenly, colors burst out, embellishing every object around her – leaves turn greener, stars shine brighter, even boring white clouds appear softer than ever, reminding Minjoo of the soft girl _(little cub, rather)_ she has grown fondly of.

Each day, her feelings grow deeper, begging to be set free. For years she had been scared of entertaining them, afraid to lose the girl. Kim Chaewon is ephemeral – always in danger of speedy disappearance.

_She has always been ahead of her. Always off to the next big thing, until she stopped running._

Even on the day they first met, Chaewon left just as instantaneous as her arrival, running off to who knows where. Over the years, Chaewon’s retreating figure has been deeply etched into Minjoo’s mind. She had secretly harbored unrequited feelings for the girl, buried them deep in her heart, due to the fear of losing her; but today, it’s different – a new fear sipping into her body.

She had seen Chaewon walk away from her far too many times, she doesn’t think she would bear to see it one more time. As whack as it sounds, nothing scares her more than the sight of Chaewon’s back. Thus, she takes it upon herself to be the first one to leave.

Minjoo turns her back, but before she could even take a step, a familiar hand grabs hers, halting her tracks.

**“Do you know why Cloud-ssi cries out tears of joy?”** Chaewon starts, Minjoo not having enough courage to face the other girl again, just listens and waits for Chaewon to continue.

**“Because Cloud-ssi wasn’t able to be as brave as Tiger-nim, so despite being heartbroken, it’s relieved that her beloved Fox married someone way better than a coward cloud. Loving means wanting the best for the person you cherish.”** Chaewon’s voice bears a distinct melancholic tone, Minjoo doesn’t know where’s this conversation heading, but she’s aware it’s heading south – an unknown territory where heartbreak awaits her.

**“Should I be like Cloud-ssi and just be happy for you then?”** Minjoo blurts out, which she instantly regrets for she doesn’t really want to hear the other girl’s response. She thinks she had enough heartache for today.

Chaewon cracks up at that though, making Minjoo face her, curious to know what has suddenly made the other girl laugh. **“Since when did you become a cloud though?”**

**“Minjoo, I love you. I don’t want to know if we’d be together on another lifetime, because I’ll make sure we’d be on this one.”** She fondly pats Minjoo, the corners of her mouth unconsciously turning upward.

**“But what about Cloud-ssi?”** Minjoo pipes up, her eyes frozen wide open, her brain buffering, trying to process what Chaewon has said. She has clearly heard the other girl’s confession, but she thinks it could have just been her mind playing tricks on her.

**“Don’t get me wrong when I say loving means _wanting the best_ for the person you cherish. I’m not Cloud-ssi, I’ve told you I’m a cheetah. It might have taken us years to get here due to countless uncertainties, but I’m certain that I _want to be the best_ for you.” **Chaewon takes her hand and connects their forehead, their face growing closer each passing second; the familiar warmth evident between them.

**“Chaewon, I lov-”** The older girl cuts Minjoo off with a kiss, the younger caught off-guarded and feeling too fuzzy, yet kisses her back with an equal fervor – it was brief and sweet, then ends with both of them laughing, teasing the other for blushing as if both of them aren’t just as red.

**“I love you.”** Minjoo finishes and gives Chaewon a quick peck, making the older girl uncharacteristically shy, which she quickly hides by doing what she’s best at – teasing Minjoo.

**“For the record, you’re not a fox either. You’re a frog. We’ve kissed, shouldn’t you turn into a princess now? I see no difference.”** Chaewon taunts her, a hint of mischief, widely grinning.

**“You’re not a cheetah either, you’re just a lil cub.”** Minjoo answers back.

A sunshower is an interesting phenomenon, most people call it _fox rain_ , its cause attributed to varying factors and ancient legends – may it be purely based on Science or loosely based on Cloud-ssi, Ms. Fox and Tiger-nim’s interesting love triangle.

Sometimes, accompanying winds associated with a rain storm accidentally blows airborne raindrops into an area with no cloud; thus, a sunshower happens.

For Minjoo, an accidental meeting brought upon by the rain and her random cravings for ice cream, driving her into the nearest convenience store where she finds Chaewon, who happens to accidentally forget bringing an umbrella with her.

Or, when a single rain shower cloud passes overhead, and Mr. Sun keeps the sunlight from being obstructed by overhead clouds.

For Chaewon, encountering a single being who dashed right through the negative thoughts clouding her mind – keeping her afloat, miles away from the things she desperately wanted to escape. And along the way, makes her realize that there was never a need to escape; just a need for a companion who would join her trip in the road known as life.

Accidents do happen all the time – most are bad, some not that much, and rarely, a miraculous accident could bring a potential lifetime partner. Just potential, because there are tons of uncertainties behind the concepts of destiny, luck, fate or whatever one would like to call it.

At the end of the day, it would still depend on the choices people would make. For Kim Minjoo and Kim Chaewon, they have chosen to spend a lifetime of certain uncertainties together.

**“Lifetime partners for real then?”** Minjoo asks Chaewon, forgetting all the what ifs she used to think of, for she no longer needs them. No more imaginations, and more of taking actions to turn them into realities.

**“Partners across different lifetimes, even. Gladly.”**

_-fin._


	2. Up In The Clouds (EXTRA/EPILOGUE)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The origin of the magical tale of the Fox Rain. Or, the reasons as to why Chaewon likes the rain so much.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, this has been sitting on my drafts for too long. This is about Chaewon's backstory and ofc, it ends with 2kim fluff fluff. A friend whom we'd hide with the name 'Ginny48' has told me it's sad, but makes the story more meaningful. (Ofc, I'd post it after receiving such a compliment. lol) This wasn't included on the one-shot that has been posted, because I didn't want to take the focus off 2kim's relationship.
> 
> Gimlet bish: This ain't about you, Chaewon-
> 
> Spoiler alert: Minor Character Death. If uncomfortable, please do skip this chapter. I hope y'all enjoy this!

* * *

_Write it on the clouds, so it won’t disappear._

* * *

_A small girl – not older than ten, with a complexion as white as the thin blanket of snow covering the playground – sits atop the monkey bars kids love to play at. Her cheeks dusted with pink, the coldness sipping through her body, yet she chooses to ignore and seems to be rather enjoying it. Her voice loud and clear, filled with eagerness; an innocent child thrilled over sharing a story she has read from a children’s book one of her new friends lent her, begins narrating a tale. **“Long ago in a faaaar away kingdom, lives a magical fox, a strong tiger and a kind cloud. Chaewonnie, do you know what’s a Fox Rain?”**_

_Her audience comes in the form of another little girl – two years younger than her and way shorter – grasping on her thick padded jacket, shivers upon the cool breeze of winter briefly passing through the atmosphere. Sitting on the swing set several feet away, her head tilted upwards, staring at her older sister atop the monkey bars, cold and worried that the girl might fall. **“Huh? Raining foxes? Dahyun-unnie, we should head back. Mom would scold you again.”**_

**_“Eh, this wouldn’t take long. Just a few minutes?”_ ** _Dahyun whines, a small pout surfacing, her younger sister finds it funny and lets the older girl continue with whatever she’s saying. That’s how it has always been; despite being two years younger, Chaewon is usually the one who yields with her sister’s antics. She’s pretty sure their mom would scold them again – especially Dahyun – but she thinks it wouldn’t be that bad, since her sister seems to be having fun and it would be a lie to say that Chaewon isn’t curious about what happens next in the story as well._

**_“Alright, unnie. Just promise you’d keep it short!”_ ** _The eight-year-old huffs, offering a compromise; in which Dahyun immediately beams at, quickly nodding and carries on with her story._

**_“The tiger is strong, so the magical fox fell in love with the tiger.”_ ** _Dahyun continues, Chaewon stands up from the swing and approaches her sister, clearly intrigued and invested with the story, making sure she would not let any details slip off her ears.Her older sister smiles at that, being playful as she has always been, she skips all the necessary details and fast-forwards to the conclusion; thus, abruptly ending the story. She goes down from her seat, raises her arms, as if she has just narrated the most incredible tale of all time and cheerfully says, **“They got married on a sunny day, then lived happily ever after! The end, yayyy!”**_

_Chaewon being Chaewon – way too accustomed with her older sister’s pranks, squints her eyes and exclaims, **“Unnie, that’s not fair! Where’s the Fox Rain? What about the kind cloud?”**_

**_“Oh, the kind cloud likes the magical fox too, but it’s just an extra. It attends the wedding day then cries? So, it’s a ‘Fox Rain’ when it’s sunny, but then starts raining. The cloud was maybe sad?”_ ** _Dahyun just shrugs, Chaewon simply nods, accepting her older sister’s explanation; both of them being too young to grasp the entirety of the magical tale. The underlying deeper meaning remains untouched, an unfamiliar side the little girls wouldn’t even bother exploring until the next few years to come – when they have grown taller, older and hopefully wiser._

**_“I don’t like winter, too cold! But I like the rain!”_ ** _Despite what she just said about disliking the cold weather, Dahyun takes off her scarf and wraps it around her younger sister’s neck. Chaewon looking soft and tiny as the scarf covers half of her face, Dahyun gives a hearty laugh and teasingly pinches her younger sister’s cheeks._

**_“I hate the rain, it makes me look messy.”_ ** _With a frown, Chaewon complains, making her older sister laugh again, the familiar loud one she has always been known for. Being the playful kid she is, Dahyun ruffles her sister’s hair, purposely messing it to annoy her. **“You look just as bad now!”**_

_The older girl sticks out her tongue, then ran away. Chaos ensues, their bickering turns into an impromptu snowball fight which has eventually made them stay far longer than they’ve originally intended – the siblings hurriedly head home, not wanting to get scolded by their mom for staying out too long especially under such a cold weather._

_Chaewon hates the rain, the child barely cares about the story her older sister just said. Just like any kid, perhaps she would forget about it in the next few days._

* * *

_Growing up, Kim Dahyun and Kim Chaewon has always been compared to each other; because apparently, that’s what happens when siblings are barely two years apart. Everyone has something to say, every stage of their lives being nitpicked – their list of achievements analyzed in comparison to the other sibling. (Or, in Dahyun’s case, lack thereof.) Even their parents who undoubtedly love them both, unknowingly treat them differently at times._

_The usual family set-up shown on various dramas and movies depicts a younger sibling living behind the older one’s shadow, struggling to catch up with their accomplishments; having the need to prove that they are just as good, and other stereotypes similar to that. For the Kims, it’s the complete opposite._

_Mayhaps, ‘opposite’ wouldn’t be the proper term for it, that word could be considered as an overstatement. Saying that they are ‘complete opposites’ might sound like there’s an on-going feud or rivalry between, which is definitely not the case – way too far from reality._

_Even as a kid, Chaewon has always been leaning more towards the matured side, their mom unintentionally favoring the younger girl over her older sister because of this particular trait of hers. Over the years, everyone has ended up treating Dahyun as the inferior and less capable daughter of the Kims, quite odd but seems pleasant and bright at all times. People would frequently say they don’t really seem to be blood-related; human’s inherent nosy nature, oftenly not knowing where to draw the line._

_Truth be told, it gets a bit overwhelming at times, but despite everything, the siblings always had a tight bond – not minding the unsolicited opinions of irrelevant outsiders who couldn’t keep their mouths shut._

_Dahyun has always loved the rain, always repeating the same tale about the Fox Rain – Chaewon has heard it countless times and has probably memorized it already, but listens anyway. And just like any normal kid who adores their older sister, Chaewon has grown to love the rain as well, fondly listening to her Dahyun unnie’s silly antics. (The story keeps on changing, these days Dahyun insistently claims that it’s actually an ancient legend, not just a children story nor a fairy tale.)_

_Also, on rainy days, her older sister would play the piano with bright songs that brighten up a seemingly dull day. With Dahyun as her sister, it’s pretty much impossible for Chaewon to hate the rain – or, hate anything the older girl loves. She looks up to her sister, finds her inspiring and appreciates all her other talents which remained unnoticed because of people’s preconceived notion – being ‘that’ weird cheerful girl as her only defining trait._

_Dahyun has always loved playing the piano – the only thing that could make the oh-so-hyper girl mellow down, looking so peaceful and serene, creating beautiful melodies with every press of the keys. She greatly excels on music, being exceptionally good to the point she would sometimes joke that it’s probably the world’s way of maintaining equilibrium. She may not be that smart, but she’s way more than anything people ought her to be._

_Dahyun has always been good at talking to people, she knows what to say, comforting people being another example of her numerous flairs which Chaewon wishes everyone would acknowledge._

_When life becomes too stressful for Chaewon, academic-related stuffs and other little things piling up, almost driving her insane – just wanting to scream and forget everything. The expectations weighing her down, having to keep up with everything and everyone; so afraid of letting anyone down, she starts to lose her sense of self. Dahyun tells her to go closer and whispers, **“Pst, let’s go. There’s a place I go to when I’m sad.”**_

_Dahyun brings her to the rooftop of their apartment complex, or as the older girl would like to call it – the Eagle’s Fortress – a name too fancy for what it actually is. Chaewon wonders how the older girl got ahold of the key, for as far as she knows, the rooftop is definitely off-limits. Safety protocols and such, but she knows her sister was never big on following rules; nonetheless, Chaewon is sure they would get in so much trouble for this._

**_“Where did you even get the key?”_ ** _Chaewon explores the empty rooftop, wonders what’s so special about it, for all she sees is a poorly lit deck, not even a chair or anywhere decent to sit on._

**_“Me and Guard-nim are drinking buddies.”_ ** _Dahyun monotonously states as if it’s the most obvious conclusion, Chaewon repeatedly blinks, having to ask herself again if she has heard her sister correctly. An impending headache brewing, she closes her eyes for a second, trying to calm herself._

_‘No, Kim Chaewon, you gotta be patient. You can do this.’_

**_“YOU’RE EIGHTEEN, YOU’RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE DRINKING???”_ ** _Chaewon scolds her older sister, Dahyun cracks up, finding the situation hilarious. She’s supposed to be comforting her younger sister, but the said girl is here, bearing an incredulous expression, looking like she’s about to smack her crazy sister – and maybe Dahyun deserves it._

**_“Just Cola-drinking-buddies! Will you please chill out?”_ ** _Dahyun ruffles Chaewon’s hair, like she always did when they were younger. She notices that her younger sister has grown a lot taller over the years. Maybe not that tall, but at least five to six centimeters taller than her._

_Chaewon has turned into a fine young woman, she’s no longer the kid who follows her older sister around, and Dahyun feels so proud of her. Dahyun is two years older than her, but she knows how much of a handful she has been for the younger girl. She’s pretty much Chaewon’s high maintenance older sister, but on times like this when Chaewon feels down, is when Dahyun’s role as the older one becomes notable._

**_“Chill out, really.”_ ** _Dahyun heaves herself up over the ledge, making Chaewon gasp, once again worrying for her sister’s safety. (And reasonably so, after all they are on the rooftop of a nineteen-storey building.) Chaewon doesn’t seem amused, Dahyun climbs down the ledge, not wanting to piss her sister off any further. She settles with sitting on the floor, right beside the ledge and gestures Chaewon to do the same._

_“ **You are extremely smart, pretty, capable and kind; but you’re so afraid of letting anyone down, you always beat yourself up for it. If you’re so keen on that, just tell me. I’ll punch you for free.”** Dahyun jokes, a grin surfacing on Chaewon’s face, she sits beside her sister and takes in the view – up there in the rooftop, everything looks so small, maybe she understands it a bit now why Dahyun fondly calls it the ‘Eagle’s Fortress’._

**_“You’re everything I could never be, I’m just me. You know what that means, everyone does.”_ **

**_“You know that’s not true!”_ ** _Chaewon quickly rejects the thought, she finds it silly how Dahyun tells her to stop beating herself up, yet the older girl belittles herself just as much. Chaewon blames the freaking world they live in, where society always forces a certain façade to people, bounding them in a box of what they are ‘supposed’ to be._

**_“I know, but that doesn’t make it hurt any less.”_ ** _Dahyun chuckles, a hollow laugh echoing, her eyes resigned, as if everything feels so normal. The rain starts pouring, Dahyun stands up, a hopeful smile on her lips, her usual cheerful self is back, purposely acting as if she hasn’t just talked about the painful thoughts lurking within her; Chaewon doesn’t poke further. (And maybe she should have.) **“It’s okay though, up here, everything looks tiny! I’m an eagle!”**_

_Not minding the pouring rain, Chaewon decides to humour her unnie, **“The Legend of The Fox rain doesn’t have an eagle though?”**_

**_“The strong tiger and the magical fox had a happy ending, the kind cloud deserves one too! One day, I’ll fly and meet the kind cloud! I’ll make sure it would no longer be sad!”_ ** _Dahyun beams and starts walking towards the door for the rain doesn’t seem to be stopping any time soon, and she wouldn’t want them to be sick. Of course, she must also accomplish her routine of playing bright songs on the piano, so they must head back already._

_As Dahyun checks again if she has locked the rooftop door properly, Chaewons asks, **“If you’re an eagle, what about me though?”**_

**_“You’re a cute cheetah!”_ **

_They head back giggling and talking about random stuffs, oblivious that it would be their last conversation on that particular rooftop. The Eagle’s Fortress that they have once considered as a happy place turns into something Chaewon desperately tries to escape, the memories and guilt of being unable to do anything constantly haunt her, whispering, “You should have done something, stupid. So much for being smart.”_

* * *

_Just one day, things gradually began to change, and Chaewon was just a tad bit too slow to realize what’s happening. Her oh-so-energetic, playful and loud older sister just starts acting oddly quiet out of nowhere, which was just dismissed as her being ‘weird’ again. She barely leaves her room, always sleeping or doing who knows what. Chaewon tries talking to their mom about it, but the woman just laughs it off, jokingly saying that Dahyun must had finally ran out of energy after uselessly running around doing silly things for years; she’s probably just recharging and would be back to her usual self in no time._

_Chaewon wants to talk to her, she really does; but didn’t._

_Always thinking that there would be a next time._

_Except, that next time has never come._

_Chaewon remembers that day, as if it just happened yesterday; every detail seemingly inked in her mind – all too clear. If she focuses hard enough, she would still hear the soft pit-patters that woke her up on that rainy morning – ringing in her ears, pleading her to never forget. (As if that would even be possible.) She has gotten used to waking up to the familiar piano melodies her older sister would play on such days, when dark clouds would fill the sky; so, she immediately finds the silence strange._

_She goes out of her bedroom, sees the pitch-black piano at the corner, her eyes roam around their living room – to her parents sitting at the sofa – her father with his head down and her mom staring at nothing, an unreadable expression on her face._

_That’s when Chaewon knew, something horrible has happened._

_She runs to Dahyun’s room, but doesn’t find her. With unshed tears glistening in her eyes, trying her best to stop them from falling, she asks, **“Where’s unnie?”**_

_Her mom cries, Chaewon’s body shivers upon hearing her mom’s anguished wails. Everything afterwards transpired too fast, or maybe it’s just too much to process for a sixteen-year-old kid. She’s just a naïve teenager who’s supposed to be worrying about stupid crushes or whether she’d pass her exams; but here she is, standing in the middle of the room – trying to wrap her mind around the fact that her older sister apparently sneaked out during last night’s downpour, goes to the rooftop for who knows what freaking reason, and falls down. Her sister has just passed away, and of course, she wouldn’t just go ahead and be like, “Oh, that’s sad,” then moves on with her life._

_Everyone else seem to think differently though. And by ‘everyone’, she’s referring to their neighbors, schoolmates, etc. who attends the funeral – people who in Chaewon’s mind are practically ‘outsiders’ that are more interested whether the tragedy is truly an accident or another case of ‘a poor kid who’s been driven to the extremes’. Hypocrites who have the audacity to poke around possible reasons they have come up on their own, giving empty sympathy, then proceeds with their unsought insensitive comments._

_‘I pity the parents for raising an ungrateful child.’_

_‘She was too young to know what’s right.’_

_‘Reckless.’_

_‘Why though?’_

_‘Is her reason enough to do such a sin?’_

_Chaewon doesn’t bother refuting them, goes on auto-pilot, replying as respectful as she could be. She continues being the good-mannered kid everyone expects her to be; and ‘quickly’ adapts to the situation._

_In an instant, everything has changed; the home she once knew and loved becomes a suffocating place. Her mom having a hard time dealing with grief for she thinks she had been a dismissive parent, becomes overbearing – always keeping tabs on Chaewon’s life._

_As for Chaewon, she’s still Chaewon. Just existing._

_She finds it funny, really. Every nook and cranny of anything her eyes would laid upon, reminds Chaewon of her older sister, yet she can’t remember what were the last words they have exchanged._

_What do people say again?_

_Right, a ghost doesn't have to be real for it to haunt you. It just does._

* * *

* * *

_Sometimes, it all becomes too much; but Chaewon didn’t despise rainy days, she loves them. Rainy days comforts her – fondly thinking that it’s her older sister’s way of saying, **“I’m watching over you, Cheetah.”**_

_So, when she sees a girl – few centimeters taller, and probably about the same age as her – frowning as she waits for the rain to stop under the canopy of the convenience store; Chaewon couldn’t help but ask the stranger, **“Do you like the rain?”**_

**_“Eh, not really. It makes our hair messy.”_ ** _Chaewon giggles upon hearing that answer, she’s reminded of her eight-year-old self – bickering with a playful ten-year-old Dahyun._

**_“Do you know what they call it when it’s raining on a sunny day?”_ ** _Chaewon asks, the corner of her lips tugging upwards, thinking back to her childhood days when life was a lot simpler. And oddly enough, this stranger who comes in a form of a pretty girl who probably hates the rain, brings her back to those happy days._

_As illogical as it sounds, she feels (hopes, rather) that maybe this girl would bring something interesting in her life. Maybe shuts down her ‘auto-pilot’ mechanism, becomes someone whom she could be honest with, no more of that always having to be matured and proper. Maybe a friend? Maybe even more. Just maybe._

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

**“Min, do you want to meet my sister?”** Chaewon suddenly asks during one of their dates, making Minjoo choke on the bread she’s eating. Chaewon just laughs, takes a table napkin and gently dabs the corner of Minjoo’s lips, wiping off the crumbs.

**“All these years, and I never heard about your sister????”** Minjoo whines, a pout forming on her lips. Chaewon has seen this coming, she’s certain the girl would sulk for days. Okay maybe just ‘a day’, because there’s no way Minjoo could ignore her for more than six hours. (Proven and tested, she says.)

**“Do you remember Cloud-ssi?”** Chaewon slowly utters, careful of every word. Minjoo leans forward a bit and nods, showing an obvious interest with what the other girl would say next. Chaewon continues, **“Cloud-ssi actually had a happy ending as well.”**

**“Really?”** Minjoo beams with so much enthusiasm, her eyes almost sparking, still clearly invested with the previous story about Fox Rain that Chaewon has told her.

**“Yeah. Cloud-ssi is doing well with a little white eagle named Kim Dahyun.”** Chaewon says, her eyes staring directly at Minjoo, waiting for the other girl’s response. Minjoo being Minjoo, it has taken her some time before she understands what the older girl is implying. And when she finally does, she smiles and assures Chaewon:

**“The little eagle probably had enough of your sappy self, made Cloud-ssi cry over a prank or something, so her younger sister would meet a pretty girl on a convenience store.”**

Chaewon remembers. She now remembers the end of the last conversation she had shared with her older sister on the ‘Eagle’s Fortress’. It’s crazy how she has forgotten it, remained it buried deep in her mind until this very moment. 

* * *

* * *

* * *

_As Dahyun checks again if she has locked the rooftop door properly, Chaewons asks, **“If you’re an eagle, what about me though?”**_

**_“You’re a cute cheetah!”_ **

**_“But there’s no cheetah in the story?”_ ** _Chaewon reasons out, a puzzled look evident on her face._

**_“That isn’t your story. One day, you’d be having your own. There, you’d be the main character.”_ **

_Maybe this is what Chaewon’s older sister meant by that. She has found Minjoo, the other half of her story._

_Maybe this is their ongoing story, A Lifetime of Certain Uncertainties, starring a little cub and a little frog. (Or fox, if Minjoo insists hard enough.)_

* * *

_I know one day we'll meet in the clouds_  
_Up in the clouds_

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy 2kimcord Day!

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, this fic mentions a song entitled 'Lifetime' by Ben&Ben. I highly recommend the song, check it out. I hope y'all would enjoy reading my poor attempt at 'hurt/comfort'. (?)
> 
> Also, I'm @/drunkcatto at twitter. Feel free to scream at me. (Actually, I'm just dropping my username here for free Chuu memes and cat memes. I'd be expecting them, thank you. lol)


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